


Tinsel on Tangerine Trees

by demonomania (Demonomania)



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Christmas Fluff, F/F, Mistletoe, One Piece Secret Santa 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:47:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28445637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Demonomania/pseuds/demonomania
Summary: Vivi's never celebrated Christmas. Nami's about to change that.
Relationships: Nami/Nefertari Vivi
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9
Collections: OP Secret Santa 2020





	Tinsel on Tangerine Trees

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cloversome](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cloversome/gifts).



> Hi!! This is my gift for @cloversome on Tumblr! Sorry for the delay! 
> 
> Nami/Vivi is one of my favourite ships so this was a blast to write :) 
> 
> Hope you're having a wonderful holiday and have a happy new year!! <3

“We don’t really celebrate Christmas in Alabasta,” Vivi had mumbled, eyes half lidded and voice soft. By the time Nami had registered what she said, the princess was already asleep, head resting on her shoulder. She couldn’t remember exactly how they came upon the topic, but if there was one thing for sure, it was that there was no way that Nami would just let the opportunity to celebrate Vivi’s first Christmas slide.

The princess’ admission, although off hand, managed to stick with her. Back home, Christmas was always a grand affair. She vividly remembered Bellemere feverishly decorating their home, stringing garlands and tinsel over the tangerine trees and making sure that she and Nojiko were up bright and early to unwrap their gifts. Nami could recall how the entire village buzzed with excitement as everyone gathered in the square to celebrate-- the smiles, the laughter, the warmth.

Their late night talks always ended up like this. Vivi always insisted on keeping Nami company, even if she ended up falling asleep mid-conversation. They filled the air with stories about home and their plans for the future. Huddled close together, they peered at the stars and listened to the soft lapping of the waves against the ship. Beyond the chaos of everyday life on the open seas, night time was an opportunity for them to finally be alone. 

They talked about everything and anything. Vivi was adept at bringing stories to life. She spoke with such a fondness for her people and experiences growing up that it was hard to believe that she had chosen to travel with the Strawhats instead of staying with her loved ones back home. She explained that in the last two years, she had personally overseen the reconstruction of Alabasta but with her father’s dwindling health, it would only be a matter of time before she would inevitably have to take her place on the throne. However, she couldn’t do so in good faith, knowing that there was a whole other part of her life that she still wanted to explore. 

What she meant by that was up to interpretation. Luffy and the others were just happy to have her aboard, but Nami always found herself wondering if there was something more behind her words. 

Gazing upon Vivi’s sleeping form, Nami felt a small grin form on her lips. Sure, Vivi could have everything she could ever want back in Alabasta, but she’d experience her first real Christmas on the Sunny, and Nami would be the one to deliver it to her. 

It was easy for her to get everyone else in on it. Nami had secretly allocated tasks to everyone (aside from Luffy, who most definitely wouldn’t be able to keep a secret from Vivi, even if his life depended on it) on the ship, hoping that by the time Christmas rolled around, she could execute her plan flawlessly. Robin and Franky were on decorations, Sanji was in charge of food, Brooke and Usopp were responsible for the entertainment and Zoro was left to make sure that Luffy didn’t do anything to compromise the preparations. 

Chopper was happy to distract the princess while the rest of the crew got things together. Vivi was far too kind to decline a day out with the small doctor, after all. They had docked in a small unassuming town and had planned out their day in an unassuming fashion. One by one, each member of the crew disembarked and went about with their usual tasks, agreeing to meet up at midday to finally put everything together. The town itself looked like it was in the middle of its own Christmas festivities, with sparkling garlands wrapped around the trees and lights strung up over the market stalls. Nami couldn’t help but feel nostalgic.

The redhead watched as Chopper and Vivi disappeared into town, headed to the bookshop to peruse their wares. She felt her heart thrum in her chest out of excitement. All her bases were covered--- all except for one thing. A gift for Vivi. She wasn’t much of a gift giver, really. Her presence on the Sunny was gift enough to everyone, after all! But things were a little different when it came to the blue haired beauty. Vivi was different. Special. 

Despite all their late night talks and all the secrets they had shared, Nami had yet to let Vivi know about her real feelings. There were a thousand and one reasons why she had waited so long to let her know. Firstly, Nefertari Vivi was the princess of Alabasta. Surely, there would be an endless line of suitors waiting for her at home. Nami rarely doubted herself, but in this one specific situation, she couldn’t help but wonder how a ragtag pirate could ever match up to nobility. 

Secondly, Vivi was the touchy type. It wasn’t rare for her to dish out hugs and hold hands like it was nothing. For all the times she would huddle close to her, it was hard to tell whether or not she was simply doing it platonically or if there was something more to it. The frustrations were endless, but tonight was the night to lay everything down on the table. 

Lost in thought, Nami eventually realized that she had stumbled into a small gift shop. Appropriately, there was an endless array of green and red Christmas themed gifts to choose from. She briefly thanked her intuition and began scouring the shelves for something fitting for a princess. Despite having an almost infinite budget, Nami wanted her gift to be sentimental. Vivi didn’t have a single materialistic bone in her body and while she would probably be grateful for any gift, Nami wanted it to be something that could never be replaced. 

Walking past the jewelry and figurines, she eventually wound up at the back of the shop where a few decorations were hung up for sale. Finally, her eyes landed on the one thing she had been searching for. A smile wound its way onto her face as she called over the shopkeep to come take it down for her. Surely, this would be a gift that Vivi would never forget.

Midday came quicker than she had anticipated. Much to Nami’s surprise, everyone ended up at the Sunny on time. Her crewmates were all enthusiastic about celebrating Christmas, but there seemed to be a strange vibe in the air. Not one to waste her time dwelling on such things, Nami pushed it to the back of her mind as she joined Sanji in the galley to see what he was up to. There was already the makings of a feast laid out on the table, the entire kitchen smelling like something out of a Christmas novel. 

“What do you think, Nami-swan?” he inquired proudly, a cigarette dangling from his lips.  
“Looks good to me!” Nami replied, expecting nothing less from her expert chef. 

Sanji grinned at her, eyes narrowed. “Funny, you’ve never wanted to do anything this big for Christmas before.” 

Freezing, she simply let out a short laugh, covering up her embarrassment quickly. Leave it to Sanji to call her out. “Well, it is Vivi’s first Christmas, after all! What kind of friend would I be if I just let the day pass like it was nothing?” 

“Right, right… Well, everyone’s rooting for you,” the blond snickered, turning his back to her as he stirred the contents of a saucepan around. “Take that how you will.” 

Nami took that as him dismissing her, but couldn’t hide the small smile that managed to tug at her lips. Was it that obvious? Regardless, it made her happy to know that her friends were willing to pull out all the stops for her sake. The navigator slid out of the kitchen and strolled onto the deck, peering at the decoration progress. She made her rounds like the diligent project manager she was, making sure that every detail was perfect. 

Robin and Franky had gone all out, making sure that every inch of the ship was somewhat Christmas themed. Brooke and Usopp had planned out a five act musical and Zoro and Luffy were apparently out hunting for some big game to roast for dinner. 

The sun had begun to set and eventually, Chopper and Vivi returned to the Sunny with bundles of books and medical supplies in tow. Nami was the first to greet them, wanting to see Vivi’s reaction up close. Much to her satisfaction, Vivi froze immediately, enthralled by the lights and the decoration s.

“I was wondering where everyone had gone to!” Vivi exclaimed, eyes wide. She turned to Chopper and gasped. “So that’s why you wanted to bring everything back in one trip! You little sneak! Don’t tell me everyone was in on this!” 

Chopper could only giggle shyly, putting their purchases down onto the deck. 

“When we heard you had never celebrated a real Christmas before, we couldn’t resist!” he exclaimed. “We’re going to have a party! Woohoo!” 

“Mmhm, that’s right!” Nami confirmed, looping arms with Vivi. “Come on, let me show you the rest of the ship! We’ve been planning this all day so you better like it!” 

“Oh, you really didn’t have to,” the princess mumbled, cheeks turning a light shade of red. 

Nami gave her a playful shove and shook her head. “Of course we did! Sure, it might just be another reason to drink a lot and eat some good food, but aside from that… I just wanted you to have some more good memories before you leave.”  
Her words became quieter towards the end, so much so that Vivi seemed to struggle to hear her. When the redhead looked up, she was met with Vivi’s soft gaze and gentle smile. Again, her heart thrummed in her chest. The princess let out a small giggle, wrapping herself around Nami’s arm a little tighter. 

“All my memories with you are good, no matter what we’re doing,” she spoke softly.

The lights cast a warm glow over the two of them, suspending them in the moment for all but a minute before a loud piano key chimed in the distance. Brooke belted out a note as Usopp began narrating the prelude to their musical act. Nami let out a breath that she didn’t realize she was holding before finally snapping out of her daze. She heaved a sigh and a short chuckle before leading Vivi towards the grand performance. 

“C’mon, we better not miss it. They’ve been on this all day,” Nami said, definitely interested in seeing what the two of them had come up with. 

She wasn’t sure how much time had passed between then and now. At some point during the musical number, Zoro and Luffy had returned to the ship with the carcass of a giant bird. Turns out they had been walking all over the island trying to locate the Sunny, unsurprisingly finding themselves lost for the majority of the journey. Unfortunately, it was a little too late to start cooking it, but Sanji was more than happy to put the beast into storage for a New Year’s dinner instead. 

As usual, the boys assembled a grand drinking competition, draining the ship of its alcohol supply with ease. On a regular night, Nami might have tried to monetize the situation by betting on who’d win, but she had more important things on her agenda. Brooke played a quiet tune as Robin dished out cards for a quick game of poker. She shot Nami a look, as if to inquire whether or not she was playing, but didn’t seem all too surprised when the navigator declined. 

Instead, Nami made a beeline towards Vivi, who had been looking at the decorations that were hanging from the tangerine trees. She was holding a shiny red bauble, peering at her own reflection as if she were searching for something. Behind her back, Nami clutched an integral part of her gift. 

“Boo!” Nami whispered, poking Vivi in the side. 

The princess jumped, letting out a quick yelp. Her face scrunched up momentarily, but only a soft giggle left her lips. “I think that’s the wrong holiday.” 

“Christmas, Halloween… I get ‘em mixed up sometimes.” Nami chuckled, shrugging slightly. “Are you enjoying it so far?” 

“Oh, of course I am!” Vivi beamed, “Everything is so pretty! I like the lights the best, and the trees, and the food, and the-- well, I guess I like everything.” 

Trying not to spontaneously combust from how cute Vivi was, Nami sucked in a deep breath. “Well, you know there’s one more part to Christmas, but they usually do it the morning of.” 

Vivi canted her head, lashes batting curiously. “You open presents in the morning, right?” 

“Mmhm. There’s that whole thing about Santa Claus or whatever but… The main thing is that usually people have to wait a whole night before they get their gifts. But… I wanted to give you my gift early.” 

The princess’s eyes went wide again, brows raising in surprise. Nami could pretty much predict what she was going to say before the words even left her mouth. “But I don’t have a gift for you yet.”

“But I don’t--” Vivi began, only to be cut off by Nami pulling the object from behind her back, holding it over their heads simply. 

“You ever heard of this Christmas tradition?” Nami asked, shaking the bundle of mistletoe teasingly. 

“O-Oh, is that…” Vivi blinked, her recognition of the item obvious by the way her cheeks reverted to that same shade of red from earlier. Nami could only grin, her free arm winding around Vivi’s waist, pulling her close. 

“Merry Christmas, Vivi,” she spoke softly before finally pressing her lips to Vivi’s in a gentle kiss. 

It felt like everything was clicking into place. A beat passed before Vivi returned the kiss, snaking her arms around Nami’s neck. She could feel her lips curl into a smile before they finally parted. Any questions or doubts Nami might have had were slowly dissolving. Vivi bit down on her lip, cheeks still red.

“Ah… I think… Out of all the Christmas traditions… That,” Vivi pointed to the mistletoe, chuckling, “Might be my favourite.”


End file.
